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Live Betting on Golf Strategy Guide for 2023

Michael Harrison

by Michael Harrison

Updated Apr 5, 2023 · 3:37 PM PDT

The focus of this article is live betting on golf which offers a myriad of different options, depending on the event. For more on how live betting on golf works and what options are available to you, read on.

Betting on Live Golf in 2023

Live betting on golf is a broad subject with a lot of considerations, and there are numerous golf betting apps for bettors to choose from. Below, readers will learn about multiple topics. Use the links below to navigate directly to the topic you’re most-interested in:

Live Betting on Golf Tournament Winners

This one is the most straight forward. Any time throughout an event, odds will change on who will win the golf tournament depending on how well everyone is playing. Naturally, the favorites will have shorter odds to win and the long shots will have odds that entail a greater payout.

For example, even if Rory McIlroy is 6 shots behind the lead his odds to win may still be +2500. This means a $10 wager earns you $250 plus the $10 stake you laid should he win. A lesser golfer not likely to emerge victoriously may be 3 shots back, but his odds could be +4000 because the sportsbook doesn’t think he’ll end up with the trophy.

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If you’re having any difficulty understanding what we’re referring to or if this is in any confusing, brush up on how to read and understand sports odds.

Placing a bet on the outright winner can take place any time during the tournament. Maybe you know Matt Kuchar tends to play great on Saturday’s and he’s well back of the leaders. His odds could be +8000, but you expect him to have a great round so you lay some cash on him. Thanks to live betting, you can do this any time during the round as well, through to the conclusion of the event.

For the major tournaments, odds will be more enticing for the bettor simply because so many quality players are competing. For lesser events where the field of golfers is weaker, you won’t find as good of odds as you will for the top competitors.

Two/Three Balls Live Betting

Before a round of golf, there may be 2 or 3 members in each group teeing off together. You can place a wager on who might emerge victorious within that group or if they will match the same score during that round. Live betting lets you make these bets at any time, and odds will change in relation to how the between the golfers unfolds.

For example, Player A is a considerable favorite to defeat Player B, so Player A may have odds of -200 to win the round matchup (a $100 wager would result in a $50 win plus the original stake for a total of $150) Player B, as the underdog, has odds of +220 so a $100 wager results in total earnings of $320.

Typically, there is also a bet you can lay on the match ending up in a tie. Perhaps the line would be somewhere in the neighborhood of +750, meaning a $100 wager pays out $850 total. Depending on the event, odds throughout the match will fluctuate, depending on which golfers are winning and which golfers are losing. This bet can only be placed before the golfers have teed off because odds won’t be available once the round begins.

Live Betting on Individual Hole Results

If two golfers are competing in a match or stroke play event, sportsbooks often offer live betting lines on who will win the current hole they’re playing. In the Tiger Woods vs. Phil Mickelson match back in November, Mickelson, as the underdog, was often given a +350 line that he’d win the hole over Tiger, whereas Tiger, the favorite, had a line of +275. The likelihood is always highest that the golfers will tie the hole, that line was +100.

Feeling confident that Phil is better on par 3’s than Tiger is? If so, making a wager on Mickelson to win the hole might be a perfect time to place a bet. Or maybe you think Tiger dominates the par 5’s better than Phil does, so that could be a time to bet on Woods. As the hole is being played, the odds will adjust depending on which golfer is in a better position to win that particular hole.

Live Betting Score Results

This one is extremely similar to the live betting hole results, but in this case, you can wager on if a player will make a birdie (or better) or a bogey (or worse) on a given hole. Depending on the difficulty of the hole, a line will be set for how the golfer will do.

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Often these types of bets are only available for the major tournaments (Masters, PGA Championship, US Open, British Open), but keep your eyes peeled as they pop up from time to time in other events.

The difficulty of the holes will determine what betting lines are posted. A challenging hole will mean the likelihood of a player making birdie is slimmer. Therefore, you might see the highest odds posted that they’ll make a birdie. Since it’s a tough hole, the odds they’ll make a bogey are greater meaning the odds will be lower. On the contrary, an easy hole will likely have the betting line flipped since it is more likely the golfer will birdie.

Get Started Live Betting on Golf Today!

There are plenty of different options at your disposal to bet on golf throughout a tournament and during a specific round.

Betting on these lines can be fruitful (not to mention that it can grow your bankroll) if you’re familiar with the course, player history on certain holes, or how they certain players fare against their competition.

As always, we have you covered if you want to learn more about how to bet on sports.

 

Golf Live Betting FAQs

What is live betting on golf?

Live golf betting means betting on a golf tournament that is already underway. It ranges from betting on who will win the tournament to betting on how a golfer will score on their next hole and everything in between.

What are the advantages of live betting on golf?

As with most live betting, the advantage for bettors is additional information: bettors can see how a player is performing on any given day in any given week and wager accordingly.

How does live betting on golf differ from traditional pre-tournament betting?

The main difference is the types of wagers that will be available. Live betting includes a lot more options for each golfer, though not all of the pre-tournament betting markets (like odds to make/miss the cut and odds to finish top ten) will be available at all times once the tournament starts.

What are the risks associated with live betting on golf?

The risks are the same as betting on any sport: there is no such thing as a certainty in sports betting, and playing within your limits is always paramount. Just imagine some poor bettor was on tilt and live bet on Jean Van de Velde to win the 1999 Open Championship at -2000 odds, only to watch him blow a three-shot lead on the final hole. There will be more epic collapses in golf and bettors always need to be careful.

What types of live bets can you make on golf?

For the most part, all the same pre-tournament betting markets will still be open during the tournament, though that will depend on both the sportsbook and the time of day. Additionally, bettors will have access to new markets once the tournament starts, like how a golfer will perform on his/her next hole.

Are the odds different for live betting on golf compared to pre-tournament betting?

Yes, the odds will constantly be changing once the tournaments starts. As players move up the leaderboard, their odds to win will shorten, and vice versa. The juice is often a little higher on live-betting markets, as well.

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